Interpretive planning

Planning is the bedrock of good interpretation! It will help you structure what you're doing, produce successful interpretation and avoid wasting precious resources.

Interpretive planning happens at many different scales - from a whole region to a single display. Remember your interpretive plan will have to fit in with any business, marketing or visitor management plans that may exist for your site.

1. What are your objectives?

Objectives state clearly what your interpretation is to achieve. You might have some emotional objectives, behavioural objectives or even promotional objectives. They should be specific, measurable and achievable. Objectives are essential to justify the resources to be spent on the interpretation, and are a critical reference for your future evaluation. 

2. Who should be involved in the interpretive process?

It is important that the right people are involved in the interpretive planning process.  In a large area there may be several agencies, local communities and voluntary groups who should be involved. If so, you will need to decide how they can have an input. At the other end of the scale, only one person may be needed to plan a simple piece of interpretation. 

3. What are you interpreting?

Think carefully about what you want to interpret. The key question is: What is special about your site, feature or collection? In addition, you should also consider: What visitor facilities (like car parks, access, signage and toilets) are already provided, or will be in future? What other interpretation is available in the area? What staff, money and other resources are available? 

4. Who are you interpreting for?

It is essential to understand your visitors so that your interpretation is relevant to them. Who are your visitors? Why do they come? How many are there? How often do they come? Where are they from? What interests them? How long do they stay?

For example, if you have lots of families and school groups you could do something specific for children or if you have foreign visitors you could translate some of your interpretation. 

5. What stories do you want to tell?

It is helpful to refine what you want to communicate into 'themes'. these are the ideas that you want visitors to take away with them. Themes should be stated as complete sentences that contain one main idea. You might interpret several main themes at a single site. As a guide, you should be able to complete the following sentence for each theme: "The thing I want people to take away from this interpretation is........" 

6. What media will you use?

It is only at this stage that you should choose your media. Let your aims, resources, audience, site characteristics, themes and objectives determine what media you use, not the other way round. 

7. How will your interpretation be implemented?

You'll need to cost and timetable the interpretation, and identify who will manage it. Consider what can be done in house and what will need to be contracted out. Interpretation is a skilled process and you should chose writers and designers with experience of producing good quality work. Do not be tempted to write material yourself without adequate training. See the guidance notes on interpretive writing for more detailed help. 

8. How will it be monitored and evaluated?

It is important to assess whether your interpretation meets the objectives you set. Some evaluation can be undertaken as you develop the interpretation to test its effectiveness. Otherwise, you should check how well it's working once installed. Any changes should feed into your next interpretive programme. See the guidance notes on evaluating interpretation for more detailed help. 

9. How will it be maintained?

It is important to have clear responsibilities for maintaining and eventually replacing the interpretation. Maintenance might include things like clearing vegetation around a panel, making sure all interactives are in working order and ensuring all lights and fixings are working properly.